All About Fathers
by my daydream world
Summary: As Father day draws near Brock, Dawn and Ash all reflect on their fathers.


All About Fathers

 **Summary: As Father day draws near Brock, Dawn and Ash all reflect on their fathers.**  
 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon**  
 **"It is easier for a father to have children, than for children to have a real father" - Pope John XXIII**

Ash, Dawn and Brock were all setting up camp. They had been walking all day and they all wanted to stop for the night. They were in a grassy clearing often used by Pokémon trainers.

Brock was cooking as Ash and Dawn were taking care of all the Pokémon. "Maybe we can stay here tomorrow," suggest Dawn "It's a good space and I like to try out a new routines."

"I want to go into town," said Brock at once "Its fathers day tomorrow and I like to phone home. It's been a while since I called..." Brock looked up from the cooking to see Ash and Dawn blank expression.

"Oh yeh, I forgot that was soon," said Ash quickly. Ash had never mention his father, and all his childhood stories seemed to involve his mother, Gary and Professor Oak. Who Ash's father was - Brock had no idea but situation like Ash's weren't uncommon especially after the Kento War. Many people had only one parent, people like Misty only had her older sisters. Brock knew he was lucky to have both of his parents. "I wanna to check that that poké hero museum you mention anyway..." Added Ash

Dawn looked thoughtful for a moment "I need to go shopping," she said "And we can alway train at the Pokémon center..."

"Sounds like a plan," said Ash

Brock had began to put the food into plates and and they sat down. Pikachu had used the opportunity to steal the ketchup bottle and run away prompting Ash too run after his Pokémon. Brock and Dawn watch them amusement as Pikachu refused to let go of the ketchup bottle. In the end Ash gave up sat down "Guess we have to do without ketchup today..."

"That's alright with me," said Dawn. They eat in silent for a while before Dawn spoke up. "What's you father like Brock?"

That question took Brock by surprise. He pauses for a moment before specking. "He's hard working, taught me alot." He said "His a family man but also likes he's own space" Brock sat quietly for a moment "He was a leader of a gym so he's strong willed person."

"But when you first meet Ash, weren't you the Gym leader?" Asked Dawn looking between Ash and Brock.

"He and mom left for a little bit," said Brock simply. He saw Dawns shocked expression on her face. "It's not that shocking especially in Kento around that time."

"Why did they leave?" Question Dawn

"They had their reasons," said Brock a little defensely "I mean sometimes I hated it. I mean... I love my brothers and sisters but looking after them wasn't my job. And running the Gym is a great experience but wasn't what I wanted to do. But they come back and I ended up yet traveling with Ash and Misty..."

Brock wanted to ask Dawn and Ash about they fathers but didn't want to upset even of them. Both of them as far as he knew grow up in a single parent family as only children. Both of them were stubborn, independent and competitive...and both of them had never mention their fathers.

Dawn ended up telling Ash and Brock about her father. "He died when I was young," explain Dawn "I don't really remember him, but I know he always worn a hat, and had a mysterious smile..."

Ash and Brock shared a look. In Kento you didn't really talk about your absent patents. Death was a tabooed subject - maybe it was a after effect of the war - everyone wanted to forgot what had happen.

"Er...What happen?" Asked Ash awkwardly

"He got a bad case of Poké-Poxs." Said Dawn "I can't really remember but a few other people got it as well." Dawn paused for a moment "I think you two would of liked him, he loved rock climbing and looking for Pokémon that lived in the cliffs..."

"I'm sure we would of," said Brock kindly

"Mom doesn't like talking about him, I think she still misses him a lot." Said Dawn sadly. "What about your dad Ash?"

Ash was silent for a long while, long enough for Brock to think that he wasn't going to answer. When he did speak he sound districted. "I don't know who he is."

"Do you know anything about him?" Asked Dawn

Ash shook his head, "No, not really. Mom never talks about it - but she doesn't talk about her past. She was a teen mom and her parents kick her out..."

Ash's mom was young, and the stigma of bring a teen mom was harsh. Brock could almost imagine a pregnant Delia Ash arriving in Pallet Town. If Brock memory serves him right, Ash's great aunt used to live in Pallet Town or something.

"Do you want to know who his is?" Question Brock

"No," said Ash at once. That answer surprised Brock and Dawn. Ash was always very curious person. No wanting to know who his biological father was, was out of character for him.

"Why not?"

"What difference is it going to make?" Asked Ash shrugging his shoulders."Anyway I have my mom, I have a good life..." Ash voice trail off, whether Ash was telling the truth about not wanting to know who his father was or not, not one knew. But no one pressed the subject.

Not that much later they all went to bed.

Not that any of them got much sleep.

"If you two wanted to stay here tomorrow and train I can go on ahead to the next town tomorrow..." Said Brock.

"It's alright, I want to go shopping anyway..." Said Dawn from her sleeping bag

"Me and the ketchupmon want to check out that museum. Did you know it has a whole room filled with models of legendary Pokémon - we wanna see how many we seen..." Said Ash who had still failed at taking the ketchup away from Pikachu.

They lay in silent for a little longer.

"My dad was a Pokémon trainer," said Dawn in the darkness. "He didn't win that many battles. He just like adventure..."

"Most people are Pokémon trainers some point in their lifes," said Brock "My parents meet traveling though some caves when their were both trainers..."

"My mom was never a Pokémon trainer," said Ash "But then again mom was involved more in gangs..."

Brock sat up quickly "Your mom was in a gang?" Brock couldn't see how someone as kind and good nature at Ash's Mom being in a gang.

"Yeh ages ago, their was a war going on and stuff and she wasn't allowed to go travailing..." Said Ash "Supposed my dad was another gang member or something..."

"Is that why you don't want to know who he is?" Question Brock. Many people involved in gangs ended up working for organization like Team Rocket. Something that Ash definitely wouldn't want any links with. It was bad enough knowing Jessie, James and Meowth.

They were all silent again. Brock wonder what it would be like not having his father in his life. Would he be on this path? Probably not. He might not of meet Ash and Misty, wouldn't of gone on the once in a lifetime adventures.

Ash and Dawn were both rises by strong, independent women. Ones that could stand up for themselves, ones that weren't easy scared. That properly why Ash and Dawn themselves were didn't back down easily from challenges.

Brock knew that Ash had a lot of respect for Professor Oak and probably saw him as a father figure. Dawn was slightly different she had a father in a life, whether there was another father figure in her life Brock didn't know. Brock was glade having his father in his life - he wasn't perfect but who was.

One by one the firends fell asleep.

That's all I come up with so far. I'm not planning on adding to this, A part of me wanting to do a story with being Ash reunited with his father. But this story is about not only about absent fathers, but ones that have sadly past away and ones that try to do the best they can but make mistakes. We all have different experiences with our fathers and all have different feeling about them and we don't alway talk even to close firends about it in great detail


End file.
